Please download the file called "Sword Scabbard Tutorial" that is attached to this Blender page which contains the examples files mentioned in this tutorial.

Software used in the creation of this tutorial:

Blender 2.47

Python 2.5.2

Blender NIF Scripts 2.3.7

PyFFI 1.0

NifSkope 1.0.12

Procedure

It has been asked many times on how to create custom scabbards because the process is tricky.

Currently, it is not possible to create a 100% custom mesh with a working scabbard. If you export it directly from your 3D application and try to make it work in-game, it will not happen. The NIF structure can look identical to a vanilla weapon but there is something that is not yet known that prevents us from doing this.

The process to make this happen is to arrange our model so that it matches the expected structure, export to NIF and copy the parts of the model on top of a vanilla weapon that already has a scabbard (completely replacing the original models)

Create your sword model

Create your sword's scabbard model and rename the object to Scb:0

Create a UV Map for your model and add a material with the appropriate settings and attach an image to it

You might need to make adjustments to the collision model or create custom collision and if you do, you would also copy the bhkCapsuleShapes from your WIP file to replace the same objects in your target NIF file